Articulated conveyor

ABSTRACT

Equipment for printing, slotting, folding and gluing paperboard container stock includes a printer-slotter unit and a foldergluer unit. In order to integrate the units for in-line operation and make space available between them for manual adjustment of the slotter heads, an articulated conveyor is connected pivotally to each of the spaced stock conveyors of the folder-gluer unit, for lateral adjustment therewith and for pivotal adjustment between an operative position projecting toward the printerclotter unit and a retracted position extending upwardly adjacent the folder-gluer unit.

United States Patent [191 [11] 3,815,482 Nelson June 11, 1974 1ARTICULATED CONVEYOR I [76] Inventor: Victor R. Nelson, 2700 S.W. SummitPnmary Emmmer Ry Lake Dr., Lake Oswego, Oreg. 97034 [22] Filed: Oct. 19,1972 [21] Appl. No.: 299,110

[52] US. Cl 93/36 R, 198/122, 198/167 [51] Int. Cl B3lb 1/04, B3lb 1/94[58] Field of Search 198/122, 167; 93/36 R,

93/1 R, 93 R, 93 C, 93 D, 93 DP [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS V 2,540,972 2/1951 Wagner, Jr 93/93 DP 3,127,820 4/1964 Carter93/93 C 3,143,344 8/1964 Miller et a1. 198/122 X 3,626,561 12/1971 Luceet a1. 931/36 R X 9 3/12 t,H9 t S Q (--11-?-::;----: i9 i/ ?..R.X

Assistant Examiner.lames F. Coan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oliver D.Olson [57] ABSTRACT Equipment for printing, slotting, folding and gluingpaperboard container. stock includes a printer-slotter unit and afolder-gluer unit. In order to integrate the units for in-line operationand make space available between them for manual adjustment of theslotter heads, an articulated conveyor is connected pivotally to each ofthe spaced stock conveyors of the foldergluer unit, for lateraladjustment therewith and for pivotal adjustment between an operativeposition projecting toward theprinter-clotter unit and a retractedposition extending upwardly adjacent the folder-gluer unit.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 ARTICULATED CONVEYOR BACKGROUND .OF THEINVENTION,

This invention relates to the manufacture of printed paperboardcontainers, and more particularly to an'articulated conveyor forintegrating printer-slotter and folder-gluer units for in-lineoperation.

In the manufacture of printed paperboard containers, particularlycorrugated paperboard, it is the usual practice, with printing equipmentutilizing slow drying inks, to process the paperboard stock through aprinterslotter unit, after initial processing in a corrugator unit, andthen to store the printed and slotted stock for a time sufficient toallow the ink to dry, preliminary to further processing through afoldengluer unit. The printer-slotter unit is constructed to enableadjustment of the creaser and slotter heads from the outfeed side of theslotter unit, as required for the production of different sizes andtypes of containers. However, this procedure increases the cost ofproduction because of such factors of the cost of labor in manipulatingthe stock, the floor space required for storage of the stock, and thetime involved in transporting the stock to storage and then from storageto subsequent processing through the folder-unit unit.

With the advent of fast-drying inks, the integration of aprinter-slotter unit anda folder-gluer unit for continuous in-lineoperation has been achieved by the close coupling of a folder-gluer unitwith a new type of printer-slotter unit which enables adjustment of thecreaser and slotter heads from the printer sideof the unit. Suchmodification of the earlier type of printer-slotter unit is notfeasible, however, and therefore the more economical in-line operationheretofore has not been available to those plants which have the earliertype of equipment, even though suchequipment may readily accommodate useof .the fast-drying inks. g 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its basic concept, this inventioneffectively accommodates the integration of printer-slotter andfoldergluer units in spaced-apart relation but capable of inlineoperation, by providing an articulated conveyor arranged to retractablyspan .the spacebetween the units.

It is by virtue ofthe foregoing basic concept that the principalobjective of this invention is achieved; namely, to overcome theaforementioned disadvantages and limitations of prior paperboardcontainer production equipment.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of anarticulated conveyor of the class described which is adaptable formounting on conventional folder-gluer units for lateral adjustment withthe conveyor mechanism of the unit.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of anarticulated conveyor of the class described which may be incorporated asan articulated extension of the conveyor mechanism of a conventionalfoldergluer unit.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention willappear from the following detailed description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, foreshortenedplan view il- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purpose ofthis description there is shown schematically in the drawing aconventional printerslotter unit 10 which includes a printer component12 and a slotter component 14. The printer component functions to printadvertising and other informative data on container stock blanks, asreceived from a conventional corrugator unit (not shown), prior toprocessing through the slotter component. Fast drying inks are employedin the printer component.

The slotter component 14 functions to crease and slot the printed stocklongitudinally to provide fold lines and container tabs. For thispurpose the slotter unit includes a plurality of creaser and slotterheads 16 mounted on driven rolls 18, in manner well known in the art.The heads are adjustable along the rolls to accommodate the productionof containers of'various sizes and types, and such adjustments are madefrom the outfeed end of the slotter component, as in the early type ofunit previously described.

V The drawing also shows a portion of a conventional foldergluer unit 20which functions to fold'the creased and slotted blank and to gluetogether the lapping tabs, as is well known. In the drawing, thefolder-gluer unit includes a control console 22 and a pair of laterallyspaced elongated conveyors 24 mounted for independent lateral adjustmentto accommodate container blanks of varying shapes and sizes; j

Each of the conveyors 24 of the folder-gluer unit includes an upperconveyor section and a registering lower conveyor section. In theembodiment illustrated the upperconveyor section comprises an elongatedframe 26 mounting a plurality of guide rolls over which are trained anendless conveyorbelt 28. The lower conveyorsection comprises anelongated frame 30 mounting a plurality of longitudinally spaced idlerrolls 32 which register with the lower working stretch of the conveyorbelt 28 for moving the container stock blanks terough the unit.

In accordance with this invention, the infeed end of" the folder-gluerunit 20 is spaced downstream from the outfeed end of the printer-slotterunit 10 a distance sufticient to provide adequate space between them toallow an operator to gainaccess to the sloter component for the purposeofadjusting the creasing and slotting heads 16. It is this space thatthe articulated conveyor of this invention spans retractably.

In the embodiment illustrated, the articulated conveyor of tis inventionincludes upper and lower sections aligned in cooperative relation withthe upper and lower sections of each of the conveyors 24 of thefolder-gluer unit. The upper section of the articulated conveyorcomprises a frame 34 secured pivotally at its trailing end to the infeedend of the frame 26 of the upper conveyor by means of a pivot shaft 36.The

between the outfeed end of the slotter component 14 and the infeed endof the conveyor 24, and the upwardly retracted position illustrated inbroken lines.

Means is provided for pivoting the-frame 34 between the operativeand'retracted positions. In the embodiment illustrated, such meanscomprises an extensible fluid pressure piston'cylinder unit 38, eitherpneumatic or hydraulic. One end of the unit is connected pivotally tothe frame 26 of the upper section of the conveyor 24 of the folder-gluerunit, by means of a pivot shaft 40. The opposite end of the unit isconnected pivotally to the frame 34 of the upper section of thearticulated conveyor, by means of a shaft 42. Thus, by application offluid pressure to the cylinder to effect extension of the unit, theframe 34 of the upper section of the articulated conveyor is pivoted tothe retracted position, as will be understood.

The lower section of the articulated conveyor comprises an elongatedframe 44 which underlies the frame 34 of the upper section and which isconnected pivotally at its leading end to the infeed end of the lowerframe 30 of the lower section of the conveyor 24 of the folder-gluerunit, by means of a shaft 46. Thus, the lower frame 44 is pivotablebetween the operative position shown in full lines in FIG. 2', whereinit underlies the upper frame 34 in the operative position of thearticulated conveyor, and the upwardly retracted position illustrated inbroken lines wherein it is located in registry with the retracted upperconveyor section on the side of the latter facing the outfeed end of theslotter component 14.

The means provided forpivoting the lower frame 44 is an extensible fluidpressure piston-cylinder unit 48, one end of which is connectedpivotally to the lower frame 30 of the lower section of the conveyor 24of the folder-gluer unit, by meansof a shaft 50, and the other end ofwhich is connected pivotally to the lower frame 44 of the articulatedconveyor, bymeans of a shaft 52.

In the embodiment illustrated, the frame 34 of the upper section of thearticulated conveyor mounts a plurality of guide rolls 54 for theendless conveyor belt 28. In this regard, it will be I understood thatthe endless conveyor belt of the folder-gluer unit is lengthened toposition illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2. One of the idler rolls 56'is carried by the pivot shaft 46 by which the frame 44 is pivoted to theinfeed end of the lower frame 30.

By the foregoing construction, in which the articulated conveyor framesand the piston-cylinder units are connected to the corresponding framesof the associated conveyor of the folder-gluer unit, the articulatedconveyor is movable laterally with the associated conveyor of thefolder-gluer unit.

In the operative position of the articulated conveyor the printed andslotted container stockblanks are received'from the outfeed end of theslotter component nent, the articulated conveyor sections are moved tothe retracted positions illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 2, byappropriate operation of the piston-cylinder units 38 and 48. In thisposition of retraction, sufficient space is made available at theoutfeed end of the slotter component to allow the operator to entertherein to make the appropriate adjustments. Accordingly, thearticulated conveyor accommodates the integration of a conventionalfolder-gluer unit and a conventional printer-slotter unit of the earlytype previously described in which the creaser and slotter heads must beadjusted from the outfeed-end thereof. This integration of the unitsaffords in-line operation for the continuous production of paperboardcontainers, by the simple expedient of using fast drying ink in theprinter component 12.

In the embodiment illustrated, the sections of the articulated conveyorare constructed to be compatible with the construction of the sectionsof the conveyor of the folder-gluer unit. Thus, in the embodimentillustrated, the upper section of the articulatedconveyor 14 anddelivered continuously to the folder-gluer unit. 6

When it becomes necessary to change the settings of the creaser andslotter heads 16 of the slotter compoaccommodates the endless beltconstruction of the upper section of the folder-gluer unit conveyor andthe lower section of the articulated conveyor includes idler rollsmatching those of the lower section of the foldergluer unit conveyor. Ifthe folder-gluer conveyor includes endless belts on both upper and lowersections, or driven rolls on both sections, or any other form ofconveyor construction, the sections of the articulated conveyor may beconstructed to match.

Although the printer-slotter and folder-gluer units illustrated normallyare utilized in the production of containers from corrugated paperboardstock, it will be understood that they may be utilized in associationwith the articulated conveyor of this invention for the production ofcontainers from solid fiber and other forms of paperboard, wheredesired. i

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the articulated conveyorof this invention enables the integration, for in-line operation, for aconventional foldergluer unit and a conventional printer-slotter unit ofthe early type in which adjustment of the creaser and slotter heads mustbe made from the outfeed side thereof, simply by utilizing in theprinter component the presently available fast drying inks, rather'thanthe former slow drying inks. Accordingly, the large number ofprinter-slotter units of the early type may be utilized with minimummodification in the more economical continuous in-line operation.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the size. shape, type, number and arrangement of partsdescribed hereinbefore, without departing from the spirit of thisinvention.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may beused, I claim:

1. In combination with paperboard container forming apparatus includinga printer-slotter unit and a foldergluer unit arranged in spaced apart,longitudinal alignment, the folder-gluer unit having a pair of laterallyspaced, longitudinally extending paperboard conveyors each includingvertically aligned upper and lower conveyor supports, conveyor means forretractably spanning the space between said units, comprising a. anupper elongated spanner conveyor mounted pivotally at one endon theinfeed end of each upper conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit formovement between an operative position extending toward theprinter-slotter unit and the retracted position extending upward fromthe upper conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit,

b. a lower elongated spanner conveyor aligned with the upper spannerconveyor and mounted pivotally at one end on the infeed end of eachlower conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit for movement between anoperative position extending toward the printer-slotter unit below theupper spanner conveyor and a retracted position extending upward fromthe lower conveyor supportof the folder-gluer unit on the side of theretracted upper spanner conveyor facing the printer-slotter unit, and

c. power means interengaging the folder-gluer unit and said upper andlower spanner conveyors for pivoting the latter between said operativeand retracted positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the power means comprises anelongated fluid pressure pistoncylinder unit interconnecting thefolder-gluer unit and each of said spanner conveyors.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper conveyor support of thefolder-gluer unit supports an upper conveyor belt extending around theassociated upper spanner conveyor.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the pair of conveyors of thefolder-gluer unit are arranged for lateral adjustment, the spannerconveyors being laterally adjustable therewith.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the power means comprises anelongated fluid pressure pistoncylinder unit interconnecting each of theupper and lower conveyor supports and the associated spanner conveyor.

1. In combination with paperboard container forming apparatus includinga printer-slotter unit and a folder-gluer unit arranged in spaced apart,longitudinal alignment, the folder-gluer unit having a pair of laterallyspaced, longitudinally extending paperboard conveyors each includingvertically aligned upper and lower conveyor supports, conveyor means forretractably spanning the space between said units, comprising a. anupper elongated spanner conveyor mounted pivotally at one end on theinfeed end of each upper conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit formovement between an operative position extending toward theprinter-slotter unit and the retracted position extending upward fromthe upper conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit, b. a lowerelongated spanner conveyor aligned with the upper spanner conveyor andmounted pivotally at one end on the infeed end of each lower conveyorsupport of the folder-gluer unit for movement between an operativeposition extending toward the printer-slotter unit below the upperspanner conveyor and a retracted position extending upward from thelower conveyor support of the folder-gluer unit on the side of theretracted upper spanner conveyor facing the printer-slotter unit, and c.power means interengaging the folder-gluer unit and said upper and lowerspanner conveyors for pivoting the latter between said operative andretracted positions.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the powermeans comprises an elongated fluid pressure piston-cylinder unitinterconnecting the folder-gluer unit and each of said spannerconveyors.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper conveyorsupport of the folder-gluer unit supports an upper conveyor beltextending around the associated upper spanner conveyor.
 4. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein the pair of conveyors of the folder-gluerunit are arranged for lateral adjustment, the spanner conveyors beinglaterally adjustable therewith.
 5. The combination of claim 4 whereinthe power means comprises an elongated fluid pressure piston-cylinderunit iNterconnecting each of the upper and lower conveyor supports andthe associated spanner conveyor.